Day 1 (Sat): Arrival at Hotel NATURA or day at your own disposal (If you have booked both tours), check-in and wine tasting, sampling typical Turkish white wines.
Day 2 (Sun): Boat trip to Heracleia.
A thirty minute boat trip across Lake BAFA to Heracleia, where we walk around the ancient Hellanistic ruins including the very well preserved town wall, the small theatre, the Temple of Athena and the mystical Endymion. In the early afternoon we will make our way back to the beautiful Hotel NATURA.
Day 3 (Mon): Iasos, fish lunch at harbour, Temple of Euromos.
After journeying over a rough road we will reward ourselves by taking refreshments at a typical teahouse in the village of Kazıklı, on the Aegean coast. A further drive takes us to the excavated ancient town of Iasos where we will walk to the Roman theatre, the shrine of Zeus and a fortress built by the Knights of the Order of St. John which overlooks a bay and ancient seaport. Of special interest are Roman mosaics which were uncovered by Italian Archeologists. The town hall and the columns of the colonaides and the old fish market (Agora) bear witness to the former prosperity of the town. At mid-day we will eat a meal of local fish in a restaurant directly on the harbour front. On the return journey we will visit the well preserved Temple of Zeus at Euromos.
Day 4 (Tues): Local produce and Oriental market in Milas, Labranda.
Today we will visit the colourful local produce market in Milas, the ancient town of Mylasa with its beautiful old Osmanic buildings and Hellenistic–Carian city gate. The Roman mausoleum of Gümüşkesen is especially of interest. Lunch is in a typical Turkish Lokanta in the town centre. After a short drive over a dusty road we will reach the worship place dedicated to Zeus at Labranda.
Day 5 (Weds): Walk in the Latmos Mountains.
After driving through old mountain villages we will walk along the forest paths of the breathtaking Latmos Mountains. Typical local meal in the mountain village of Sakarkaya.
Day 6 (Thurs): Ikiztas, Ketendere, Beçin Kalesi.
Ikiztaş (Twin Rocks) is a small, sleepy village in the Latmos Mountains which gets its name from the two enormous egg-shaped rocks there. Here we will take a short walk to an unusual Osmanic cemetery with graves 20 feet long. We will then go on to Ketendere, a village famous for its colourful painted houses with their artistically carved wooden doors and the traditional costumes of the women. We will then make our way further to the old fortress of Beçin situated on an extinct volcano, where we will enjoy a local meal. Here we will also see a Türbe, an enclosed islamic monument with the graves of three Selçuk counts from the medieval Menteşe Dynasty.
Day 7 (Fri): Bodrum, Castle and Underwater Museum.
In Summer the harbour town of Bodrum is bussling with the Turkish ‘Jet Set’ who come here to see and be seen. One can find remnants of Hellenistic buildings and the ancient mausoleum incorporated into the walls and constructions of older buildings. Those who wish may visit the museum in the Castle of the Knights of St. John, where valuable marine archeological findings from sunken ships of the stone age to the middle ages are displayed. Others may prefer a shopping trip, coffee and a stroll around town. On the way back we will stop at a small village where carpets are made in the traditional way and may be purchased. For lunch we will eat the Turkish speciality Lahmacun, which is similar to pizza.
Day 8 (Sat): Departure from Hotel NATURA or day at your disposal (if you have booked a second week).
